Metz Metz ( , , , then ) is a city in northeast France located at the confluence of the Moselle (river), Moselle and the Seille (Moselle), Seille rivers. Metz is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Moselle (department), Moselle Departments ...

, the capital and the

prefecture A prefecture (from the Latin word, "''praefectura"'') is an administrative jurisdiction traditionally governed by an appointed prefect. This can be a regional or local government subdivision in various countries, or a subdivision in certain inter ...

of the

Moselle The Moselle ( , ; ; ) is a river that rises in the Vosges mountains and flows through north-eastern France and Luxembourg to western Germany. It is a bank (geography), left bank tributary of the Rhine, which it joins at Koblenz. A sm ...

department in

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

, has a recorded history dating back over 2,000 years. During this time, it was successively a

Celtic Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to: Language and ethnicity *pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia **Celts (modern) *Celtic languages **Proto-Celtic language *Celtic music *Celtic nations Sports Foot ...

oppidum An ''oppidum'' (: ''oppida'') is a large fortified Iron Age Europe, Iron Age settlement or town. ''Oppida'' are primarily associated with the Celts, Celtic late La Tène culture, emerging during the 2nd and 1st centuries BC, spread acros ...

, an important

Gallo-Roman Gallo-Roman culture was a consequence of the Romanization (cultural), Romanization of Gauls under the rule of the Roman Empire in Roman Gaul. It was characterized by the Gaulish adoption or adaptation of Roman culture, Roman culture, language ...

city,Vigneron B. (1986) Metz antique: Divodurum Mediomatricorum. Eds. Maisonneuve. the

Merovingian The Merovingian dynasty () was the ruling family of the Franks from around the middle of the 5th century until Pepin the Short in 751. They first appear as "Kings of the Franks" in the Roman army of northern Gaul. By 509 they had united all the ...

capital of the Austrasia kingdom,Huguenin A. (2011) Histoire du royaume mérovingien d'Austrasie. Eds. des Paraiges. pp. 134,275 the birthplace of the

Carolingian dynasty The Carolingian dynasty ( ; known variously as the Carlovingians, Carolingus, Carolings, Karolinger or Karlings) was a Franks, Frankish noble family named after Charles Martel and his grandson Charlemagne, descendants of the Pippinids, Arnulfi ...

,Settipani C. (1989) Les ancêtres de Charlemagne. Ed. Société atlantique d'impression. pp. 3–49 a cradle of

Gregorian chant Gregorian chant is the central tradition of Western plainsong, plainchant, a form of monophony, monophonic, unaccompanied sacred song in Latin (and occasionally Greek language, Greek) of the Roman Catholic Church. Gregorian chant developed main ...

,Demollière C.J. (2004)'' L'art du chantre carolingien.'' Eds. Serpenoise. and one of the oldest republics of the

common era Common Era (CE) and Before the Common Era (BCE) are year notations for the Gregorian calendar (and its predecessor, the Julian calendar), the world's most widely used calendar era. Common Era and Before the Common Era are alternatives to the ...

in Europe.Roemer F. (2007) ''Les institutions de la République messine.'' Eds. Serpenoise. As an important city in the heart of Europe and the crossroads of different cultures, Metz has variously experienced an integration into the

Roman Empire The Roman Empire ruled the Mediterranean and much of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. The Roman people, Romans conquered most of this during the Roman Republic, Republic, and it was ruled by emperors following Octavian's assumption of ...

, the period of

christianization Christianization (or Christianisation) is a term for the specific type of change that occurs when someone or something has been or is being converted to Christianity. Christianization has, for the most part, spread through missions by individu ...

, the

barbarian A barbarian is a person or tribe of people that is perceived to be primitive, savage and warlike. Many cultures have referred to other cultures as barbarians, sometimes out of misunderstanding and sometimes out of prejudice. A "barbarian" may ...

depredations,

religious war A religious war or a war of religion, sometimes also known as a holy war (), is a war and conflict which is primarily caused or justified by differences in religion and beliefs. In the modern period, there are frequent debates over the extent t ...

s, the French Revolution, the

Industrial Revolution The Industrial Revolution, sometimes divided into the First Industrial Revolution and Second Industrial Revolution, was a transitional period of the global economy toward more widespread, efficient and stable manufacturing processes, succee ...

, an annexation into the

German Empire The German Empire (),; ; World Book, Inc. ''The World Book dictionary, Volume 1''. World Book, Inc., 2003. p. 572. States that Deutsches Reich translates as "German Realm" and was a former official name of Germany. also referred to as Imperia ...

, and

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

Ancient history

The

Celt The Celts ( , see Names of the Celts#Pronunciation, pronunciation for different usages) or Celtic peoples ( ) were a collection of Indo-European languages, Indo-European peoples. "The Celts, an ancient Indo-European people, reached the apoge ...

Mediomatrici The Mediomatrici (Gaulish: ''*Medio-māteres'') were according to Caesar a Gaulish tribe at the frontier to the Belgicae dwelling in the present-day regions Lorraine, Upper Moselle during the Iron Age and the Roman period. Name They are ...

tribe was ruler of the city from 450 BC until the Roman conquest, making the town its principal

. The city became an important centre of trading for metal and

terracotta Terracotta, also known as terra cotta or terra-cotta (; ; ), is a clay-based non-vitreous ceramic OED, "Terracotta""Terracotta" MFA Boston, "Cameo" database fired at relatively low temperatures. It is therefore a term used for earthenware obj ...

. With the

conquest of Gaul The Gallic Wars were waged between 58 and 50 BC by the Roman general Julius Caesar against the peoples of Gaul (present-day France, Belgium, and Switzerland). Gallic, Germanic, and Brittonic tribes fought to defend their homelands ag ...

Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (12 or 13 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC) was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in Caesar's civil wa ...

in 52 BC, Metz came under Roman rule and was integrated into the

Roman Empire

As a well-fortified town, ''Divodurum'', at the junction of several military roads, Metz became one of the principal towns of

Gaul Gaul () was a region of Western Europe first clearly described by the Roman people, Romans, encompassing present-day France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and parts of Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany, and Northern Italy. It covered an area of . Ac ...

, more populous than

Lutetia Lutetia, ( , ; ) also known as and ( ; ; ), was a Gallo-Roman culture, Gallo–Roman town and the predecessor of modern-day Paris. Traces of an earlier Neolithic settlement () have been found nearby, and a larger settlement was established ...

(ancestor of present-day

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

), and rich thanks to its wine exports.Bour R. (2007) Histoire de Metz, nouvelle édition. Eds. Serpenoise. pp. 28–69 The city had one of the largest amphitheatres in Gaul, and an aqueduct of and 118 arches, extending from Gorze to Metz, was constructed in the 2nd century AD to supply the

thermae In ancient Rome, (from Greek , "hot") and (from Greek ) were facilities for bathing. usually refers to the large Roman Empire, imperial public bath, bath complexes, while were smaller-scale facilities, public or private, that existed i ...

with water.Collectif (2006) L'aqueduc antique de Gorze à Metz. Moselle 119. Coll. Itinéraires du patrimoine. Eds. Serpenoise. Remains of the aqueduct may still be seen today, notably in the cities of Jouy-aux-Arches and Ars-sur-Moselle, and the vestiges of the thermae can be visited in the basement of the Golden Courtyard museum. The first

depredations into the city by the

Alemanni The Alemanni or Alamanni were a confederation of Germanic peoples, Germanic tribes * * * on the Upper Rhine River during the first millennium. First mentioned by Cassius Dio in the context of the campaign of Roman emperor Caracalla of 213 CE ...

and

Franks file:Frankish arms.JPG, Aristocratic Frankish burial items from the Merovingian dynasty The Franks ( or ; ; ) were originally a group of Germanic peoples who lived near the Rhine river, Rhine-river military border of Germania Inferior, which wa ...

started during the 3rd century AD. The city was sacked by the

Huns The Huns were a nomadic people who lived in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Eastern Europe between the 4th and 6th centuries AD. According to European tradition, they were first reported living east of the Volga River, in an area that was par ...

Attila Attila ( or ; ), frequently called Attila the Hun, was the ruler of the Huns from 434 until his death in early 453. He was also the leader of an empire consisting of Huns, Ostrogoths, Alans, and Gepids, among others, in Central Europe, C ...

in 451. One of the last Roman strongholds to surrender to the Germanic tribes, Metz passed into the hands of the

about the end of the 5th century.

Massacre of 69 AD

The troops of

Vitellius Aulus Vitellius ( ; ; 24 September 1520 December 69) was Roman emperor for eight months, from 19 April to 20 December AD 69. Vitellius became emperor following the quick succession of the previous emperors Galba and Otho, in a year of civil wa ...

while marching on their way to Italy stopped at Divodurum and inexplicably massacred almost 4000 innocent civilians.

Christianization

According to tradition, Saint Clement of Metz is believed to be the first bishop of

. He was sent by

Saint Peter Saint Peter (born Shimon Bar Yonah; 1 BC – AD 64/68), also known as Peter the Apostle, Simon Peter, Simeon, Simon, or Cephas, was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus and one of the first leaders of the Jewish Christian#Jerusalem ekklēsia, e ...

during the 1st century, with two disciples: Celestius and Felix, who are listed as his successors. Nonetheless, the first fully authenticated bishop is Sperus or Hesperus, who was bishop in 535. Clement of Metz, like many other saints, is the hero of a legend in which he is the vanquisher of a local

dragon A dragon is a Magic (supernatural), magical legendary creature that appears in the folklore of multiple cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but European dragon, dragons in Western cultures since the Hi ...

, the Graoully. The legend states that the Graoully, along with countless other snakes, inhabited the local Roman

amphitheater An amphitheatre ( U.S. English: amphitheater) is an open-air venue used for entertainment, performances, and sports. The term derives from the ancient Greek ('), from ('), meaning "on both sides" or "around" and ('), meaning "place for vie ...

. The snakes' breath had so poisoned the area that the inhabitants of the town were effectively trapped. After converting the local inhabitants to Christianity after they agreed to do so in return for ridding them of the dragon, Clement went into the amphitheater and quickly made the sign of the cross after the snakes attacked him. They immediately were tamed by this. Clement led the Graoully to the edge of the Seille, and ordered him to disappear into a place where there were no men or beasts. Authors tend to present such legend as a symbol of Christianity's victory over

paganism Paganism (, later 'civilian') is a term first used in the fourth century by early Christians for people in the Roman Empire who practiced polytheism, or ethnic religions other than Christianity, Judaism, and Samaritanism. In the time of the ...

, represented by a harmful dragon. File:F_57_Aqueduc_Jouy-aux-Arches.JPG, Remains of the Roman aqueduct from Gorze to Metz. File:Cavalier_à_l%27anguipède_Metz_100109_1.jpg, Jupiter Column of Merten, Metz museum.

A Merovingian capital

The capital of the kingdom of Austrasia

From the time of King Sigibert I, Metz was frequently the residence of the

kings of Kingdom of

Austrasia Austrasia was the northeastern kingdom within the core of the Francia, Frankish Empire during the Early Middle Ages, centring on the Meuse, Middle Rhine and the Moselle rivers. It included the original Frankish-ruled territories within what had ...

. When the

Carolingians The Carolingian dynasty ( ; known variously as the Carlovingians, Carolingus, Carolings, Karolinger or Karlings) was a Frankish noble family named after Charles Martel and his grandson Charlemagne, descendants of the Arnulfing and Pippinid ...

acceded to the Frankish throne, the town retained their goodwill as it had long been a base of their family and their primal ancestors; Saint Arnuff and Chlodulf had been bishops of Metz. The Emperor

Charlemagne Charlemagne ( ; 2 April 748 – 28 January 814) was List of Frankish kings, King of the Franks from 768, List of kings of the Lombards, King of the Lombards from 774, and Holy Roman Emperor, Emperor of what is now known as the Carolingian ...

considered making Metz his imperial capital, but eventually chose

Aachen Aachen is the List of cities in North Rhine-Westphalia by population, 13th-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia and the List of cities in Germany by population, 27th-largest city of Germany, with around 261,000 inhabitants. Aachen is locat ...

. His sons, King

Louis the Pious Louis the Pious (; ; ; 16 April 778 – 20 June 840), also called the Fair and the Debonaire, was King of the Franks and Holy Roman Emperor, co-emperor with his father, Charlemagne, from 813. He was also King of Aquitaine from 781. As the only ...

and Bishop Drogo of Metz, were buried in the Basilica of Saint-Pierre-aux-Nonnains in 840 and 855 respectively.

The capital of the kingdom of Lotharingia

Subsequent to the

Treaty of Verdun The Treaty of Verdun (; ), agreed to on 10 August 843, ended the Carolingian civil war and divided the Carolingian Empire between Lothair I, Louis the German, Louis II and Charles the Bald, Charles II, the surviving sons of the emperor Louis the ...

in 843, Metz became the capital of the

Kingdom of Lotharingia Lotharingia was a historical region and an early medieval polity that existed during the late Carolingian and early Ottonian era, from the middle of the 9th to the middle of the 10th century. It was established in 855 by the Treaty of Prüm, as ...

ruled by Emperor

Lothair I Lothair I (9th. C. Frankish: ''Ludher'' and Medieval Latin: ''Lodharius''; Dutch and Medieval Latin: ''Lotharius''; German: ''Lothar''; French: ''Lothaire''; Italian: ''Lotario''; 795 – 29 September 855) was a 9th-century emperor of the ...

. After the death of his son, King

Lothair II Lothair II (835 – 8 August 869) was a Carolingian king and ruler of northern parts of Middle Francia, that came to be known as Lotharingia, reigning there from 855 until his death in 869. He also ruled over Burgundy, holding from 855 just th ...

, Lotharingia and its capital was disputed between the kingdoms of

East Francia East Francia (Latin: ) or the Kingdom of the East Franks () was a successor state of Charlemagne's empire created in 843 and ruled by the Carolingian dynasty until 911. It was established through the Treaty of Verdun (843) which divided the for ...

and

West Francia In medieval historiography, West Francia (Medieval Latin: ) or the Kingdom of the West Franks () constitutes the initial stage of the Kingdom of France and extends from the year 843, from the Treaty of Verdun, to 987, the beginning of the Capet ...

. In 869,

Charles the Bald Charles the Bald (; 13 June 823 – 6 October 877), also known as CharlesII, was a 9th-century king of West Francia (843–877), King of Italy (875–877) and emperor of the Carolingian Empire (875–877). After a series of civil wars during t ...

was crowned king of

Lotharingia Lotharingia was a historical region and an early medieval polity that existed during the late Carolingian and early Ottonian era, from the middle of the 9th to the middle of the 10th century. It was established in 855 by the Treaty of Prüm, a ...

in Metz. In 910, Metz became part of

and subsequently of the

Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire, also known as the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation after 1512, was a polity in Central and Western Europe, usually headed by the Holy Roman Emperor. It developed in the Early Middle Ages, and lasted for a millennium ...

, granting semi-independent status. In 959, Metz was the capital of

Upper Lotharingia The Duchy of Lorraine was a principality of the Holy Roman Empire which existed from the 10th century until 1766 when it was annexed by the kingdom of France. It gave its name to the larger present-day region of Lorraine in northeastern France ...

, gradually known as Lorraine, until the 11th century. During this period, the Bishops of Metz increased their political influence. The Prince-Bishops gained their independence from the Dukes of

Lorraine Lorraine, also , ; ; Lorrain: ''Louréne''; Lorraine Franconian: ''Lottringe''; ; ; is a cultural and historical region in Eastern France, now located in the administrative region of Grand Est. Its name stems from the medieval kingdom of ...

, making Metz their capital. In 1096, Metz was one of the scenes of the massacres of Jews occurring during the

First Crusade The First Crusade (1096–1099) was the first of a series of religious wars, or Crusades, initiated, supported and at times directed by the Latin Church in the Middle Ages. The objective was the recovery of the Holy Land from Muslim conquest ...

.Chazan R. (1996) European Jewry and the First Crusade. Ed. University of California Press. pp. 167–171 A group of crusaders entered Metz and forced the sizeable Jewish community of the city to convert to

Catholicism The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

, killing 22 people who refused baptism.

Carolingian Renaissance

Metz was an important cultural centre during the

Carolingian Renaissance The Carolingian Renaissance was the first of three medieval renaissances, a period of cultural activity in the Carolingian Empire. Charlemagne's reign led to an intellectual revival beginning in the 8th century and continuing throughout the 9th ...

was created in Metz during the 8th century as a fusion of Gallican and ancient Roman repertory, and remains the oldest form of music still use in Western Europe. Then called Messin Chant, the bishops of Metz, notably Saint-Chrodegang, promoted its use for the Roman liturgy in Gallic lands in the favorable atmosphere of Carolingian monarchs. The Messin chant made two major contributions to the body of chant: it fitted the chant into the ancient Greek

octoechos Oktōēchos (here transcribed "Octoechos"; Greek: ;The feminine form exists as well, but means the book octoechos. from ὀκτώ "eight" and ἦχος "sound, mode" called echos; Slavonic: Осмогласие, ''Osmoglasie'' from о́с ...

system, and invented an innovative

musical notation Musical notation is any system used to visually represent music. Systems of notation generally represent the elements of a piece of music that are considered important for its performance in the context of a given musical tradition. The proce ...

, using

neume A neume (; sometimes spelled neum) is the basic element of Western and some Eastern systems of musical notation prior to the invention of five-line staff (music), staff notation. The earliest neumes were inflective marks that indicated the gener ...

s to show the shape of a remembered melody. Also, Metz was an important centre of illumination of Carolingian manuscripts, producing some monuments of Carolingian book illumination such as the Drogo Sacramentary. File:Frankish_Empire_481_to_814-en.svg, Map of the

kingdom (darkest green), Metz was its capital from 511 to 751. File:Metz_-_Eglise_Saint-Pierre-aux-Nonnais_-_Vue_du_côté_Est.jpg, The basilica and former monastic church of Saint-Pierre-aux-Nonnains has been the cradle of the

. File:Massacre_of_Jews.jpg, Depiction of the pogroms of 1096 in Metz.

A Free Imperial City

In 1189, Metz rose to the status of Free Imperial City, which sharply limited the influence of the bishops on the city. While the bishops left the city for Vic-sur-Seille, the burgesses organized to establish a

republic A republic, based on the Latin phrase ''res publica'' ('public affair' or 'people's affair'), is a State (polity), state in which Power (social and political), political power rests with the public (people), typically through their Representat ...

The Messin Republic

The Republic of Metz was organized around three legislature: the Head-Alderman representing the city, a

comity In law, comity is "a principle or practice among political entities such as countries, states, or courts of different jurisdictions, whereby legislative, executive, and judicial acts are mutually recognized." It is an informal and non-mandatory c ...

of 13 aldermen acting as Lay community counsellors, and a House of Burgesses giving its opinion. Ultimately, the institutions changed to become a free oligarchic republic giving the command of the city to 21 aldermen, the Head-Alderman being elected. The Republic of Metz ruled until the 15th century, a prosperous period when it was renowned as "Metz the Rich". Metz was then a major banking centre, an occupation first controlled by Jews and then by the

Lombards The Lombards () or Longobards () were a Germanic peoples, Germanic people who conquered most of the Italian Peninsula between 568 and 774. The medieval Lombard historian Paul the Deacon wrote in the ''History of the Lombards'' (written betwee ...

. The present-day Saint-Louis square used to be a site for money changers and trade fairs under its vaulted gallery and arches. The Republic of Metz often had to fight for its freedom: in 1324, against the Dukes of

Luxembourg Luxembourg, officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, is a landlocked country in Western Europe. It is bordered by Belgium to the west and north, Germany to the east, and France on the south. Its capital and most populous city, Luxembour ...

and Lorraine in the War of Metz that saw an early use of cannons, as well as against Archbishop-Elector Baldwin von Luxemburg of

Trier Trier ( , ; ), formerly and traditionally known in English as Trèves ( , ) and Triers (see also Names of Trier in different languages, names in other languages), is a city on the banks of the Moselle (river), Moselle in Germany. It lies in a v ...

; in 1363 and 1365, against the English brigands under the command of Arnaud de Cervole; in 1444, against Duke René of Anjou and King Charles VII of

; and in 1473, against Duke Nicholas I of Lorraine.René Bour (1978) ''Histoire de Metz. Eds. Serpenoise.'' As a result of its continuing independence, Metz came to be called "The Maid" and "The Unviolated". Emperor Charles IV in 1354 and 1356 held

diets The Low Countries comprise the coastal Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta region in Western Europe, whose definition usually includes the modern countries of Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands and parts of Northern France. Both Belgium and the ...

in Metz, where the

Golden Bull A golden bull or chrysobull was a decree issued by Byzantine emperors and monarchs in Europe during the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Description A golden bull was a decree issued by Byzantine Emperors. It was later used by monarchs in Europe ...

decree of 1356 was promulgated, fixing important constitutional aspects of the Holy Roman Empire. Believing that the city occupied an almost independent position between the

Kingdom of France The Kingdom of France is the historiographical name or umbrella term given to various political entities of France in the Middle Ages, medieval and Early modern France, early modern period. It was one of the most powerful states in Europe from th ...

and the Holy Roman Empire, the rulers of Metz wanted to evade the obligation of imperial taxes and attendance at the Imperial Diets. The Free Imperial City became estranged from the

Imperial State An Imperial Estate (; , plural: ') was an entity or an individual of the Holy Roman Empire with representation and the right to vote in the Imperial Diet (Holy Roman Empire), Imperial Diet ('). Rulers of these Estates were able to exercise signi ...

s, a rift exacerbated by the religious and political troubles of the

Schmalkaldic War The Schmalkaldic War (; July 1546May 1547) was fought within the territories of the Holy Roman Empire between the allied forces of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor and Maurice, Duke of Saxony against the Lutheran Schmalkaldic League, with the forc ...

. In 1546,

French Renaissance The French Renaissance was the cultural and artistic movement in France between the 15th and early 17th centuries. The period is associated with the pan-European Renaissance, a word first used by the French historian Jules Michelet to define ...

writer

François Rabelais François Rabelais ( , ; ; born between 1483 and 1494; died 1553) was a French writer who has been called the first great French prose author. A Renaissance humanism, humanist of the French Renaissance and Greek scholars in the Renaissance, Gr ...

came to Metz after being condemned for heresy by the

University of Paris The University of Paris (), known Metonymy, metonymically as the Sorbonne (), was the leading university in Paris, France, from 1150 to 1970, except for 1793–1806 during the French Revolution. Emerging around 1150 as a corporation associated wit ...

. During his time there he wrote his fourth book, in which he described a procession in the city with the effigy of the Graoully. File:Palais des Treize.jpg, Engraving of the Palace of the Thirteens around 1610. The edifice was the seat of the Metz republic parliament. File:Place_St_Louis_Metz_4.png, The Saint-Louis square with its vaulted gallery and arches was the site for money changers and the

. File:Cathédrale_Saint-Etienne_de_Metz.facade_ouest.jpg, The construction of the Gothic Saint-Stephen Cathedral started in 1220. It is the cathedral of the Catholic Diocese of Metz and the seat of the

Bishop of Metz This is a list of bishops of the Roman Catholic diocese of Metz, which now lies in eastern France. To 500 * Clement of Metz (c. 280–300) * Celestius * Felix I * Patient * Victor I 344–346 * Victor II * Simeon * Sambace * Rufus of Metz * Ad ...

Integration into the kingdom of France

In 1552, King

Henry II of France Henry II (; 31 March 1519 – 10 July 1559) was List of French monarchs#House of Valois-Angoulême (1515–1589), King of France from 1547 until his death in 1559. The second son of Francis I of France, Francis I and Claude of France, Claude, Du ...

and members of the

Schmalkaldic League The Schmalkaldic League (; ; or ) was a military alliance of Lutheranism, Lutheran Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, principalities and cities within the Holy Roman Empire during the mid-16th century. It received its name from the town of Schm ...

signed the

Treaty of Chambord The Treaty of Chambord was an agreement signed on 15 January 1552 at the Château de Chambord between the Catholic King Henry II of France and three Protestant princes of the Holy Roman Empire led by Elector Maurice of Saxony. Based on the terms ...

and Metz passed ''de facto'' into the hands of the Kings of France. The population of the city peacefully accepted the conditions of the treaty. Emperor

Charles V Charles V may refer to: Kings and Emperors * Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (1500–1558) * Charles V of Naples (1661–1700), better known as Charles II of Spain * Charles V of France (1338–1380), called the Wise Others * Charles V, Duke ...

, during the

Italian War of 1551–1559 The Italian War of 1551–1559 began when Henry II of France declared war against Holy Roman Emperor Charles V with the intent of recapturing parts of Italy and ensuring French, rather than Habsburg, domination of European affairs. The war e ...

, made an attempt to regain overlordship of Metz by force of arms, besieging the city in 1552–1553. However, his troops were defeated by the French army defending the city under the command of Francis, Duke of Guise, and Metz remained French. A bridge castle from the 13th century, the ''Porte des allemands'' (German Gate), which played a crucial defensive role during the

siege A siege () . is a military blockade of a city, or fortress, with the intent of conquering by attrition, or by well-prepared assault. Siege warfare (also called siegecrafts or poliorcetics) is a form of constant, low-intensity conflict charact ...

, is still visible today, and bullet impacts from the muskets used during the assaults can be seen on its facade. Under the rule of the Kings of France, important constitutional changes were made to the Republic of Metz. In 1565, a few Jewish families were allowed to settle in the town. While the aldermen continued to administer the city, they were appointed by a Royal Governor, representative of the king, and the Bishops came back to Metz. Later, an Intendant and a Bailiff were sent to enforce the king's authority in the city, ultimately putting an end to the Republic of Metz in 1634. The Peace of Westphalia recognized ''de jure'' Metz as part the Kingdom of France in 1648, and the city was selected as capital of the Three Bishoprics of Diocese of Metz, Metz, Diocese of Toul, Toul and Diocese of Verdun, Verdun.Vigneron B. (2010) Le dernier siècle de la république de Metz. Eds. du Panthéon. Metz was now a strategic fortified town of France, with a citadel by Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban, Vauban and Louis de Cormontaigne, Cormontaigne being erected.

French Revolution

As Benefactor (law), benefactor of the city between 1736 and 1761, Charles Louis Auguste Fouquet, duc de Belle-Isle, Duke of Belle-Isle initiated the modernization of the centre of Metz. Belle-Isle awarded royal architect Jacques-François Blondel in 1755 for the embellishment of the town square and the construction of the Hôtel de Ville, Metz, Hôtel de Ville (city hall), the parliament, and lodgings for the organic unit, guard. He brought about the development of the Governor#France, Royal Governor's palace and an opera house, and in 1760 created the Learned society, National Academy of Metz, which still operates. During the course of the 18th century, the population of the city embraced the ideas carried by the Age of Enlightenment, Enlightenment and later French Revolution. In 1775, Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, Lafayette met Charles-François de Broglie, marquis de Ruffec, and Prince William Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh, in the present-day courthouse, and decided to support the American Revolutionary War. Also, future French Revolution, revolutionary leader Maximilien Robespierre, Maximilien de Robespierre and Abolitionism in France, abolitionist Henri Grégoire, Abbé Grégoire were decorated by the National Academy of Metz in 1784 and 1787 respectively, for their essays on capital punishment and in favour of the education of underprivileged people and religious tolerance. With creation of the Departments of France, departments by the Estates-General of 1789, Metz became the capital of the Moselle (département), Department of Moselle. General François Christophe Kellermann led the local Army of the Moselle during the French Revolutionary Wars, notably at the decisive Battle of Valmy against the Kingdom of Prussia, Prussian troops. The French Revolution also brought hardship, and a guillotine for executions was erected during the Reign of Terror on the forecourt of the opera house, known then as the ''Place de l'égalité'' (Equality Square), today the ''Place de la comédie''.

First and Second French Empires

Later, Metz was Siege of Metz (1814), besieged by the Sixth Coalition during the campaign of 1814 against Napoleonic France, but the Allies were unable to take the city defended by General Pierre François Joseph Durutte and his army. In 1861, during the Second French Empire, Metz hosted the fourth universal world's fair in the ''Place de la république'' and the Esplanade gardens. File:Portrait_de_la_ville_et_cité_de_Metz.JPG, City scape of the Metz citadel built by Louis de Cormontaigne, Cormontaigne. File:Metz_Porte_des_Allemands_R06.jpg, The Germans' Gate from the 13th century. It played an important defensive role during the siege of the city in 1552–1553. File:Place_d'Armes_(Metz).JPG, Example of work of Jacques-François Blondel, who redesigned and modernized the centre of Metz in the context of Enlightenment.

The First German annexation

The Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871)

During the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–1871, Metz was the headquarters of the army under the command of General François Achille Bazaine, Bazaine. After the battles of Battle of Borny-Colombey, Colombey, Battle of Mars-la-Tour, Mars-la-Tour, and Battle of Gravelotte, Gravelotte, Bazaine retreated into the defenses of Metz and surrendered after several months of siege. The first airmail carrier was launched during the siege of the city by Doctor Julien-François Jeannel with the help of some officers of the Imperial Guard (Napoleon III), Imperial Guard near the present-day France's square. French officer Louis Rossel, who participated to the defense of Metz during the siege, joined up with the Paris Commune in opposition to the felony of General Bazaine negotiating with and surrendering Metz to the Germans.

A German garrison town

Under the Treaty of Frankfurt (1871), Treaty of Frankfurt of 1871, Metz was annexed into the newly created

, being part of the Alsace-Lorraine, Imperial Territory of Alsace-Lorraine administered directly by the imperial government from Berlin. The German-annexed bulk of the former Département Moselle and the two arrondissements of the former Meurthe Department, Département Meurthe also seized to Germany were merged into the German Département de la Lorraine with Metz as its capital. The departmental parliament (Bezirkstag von Lothringen/Conseil Général de la Lorraine) had its seat in Metz too, it delegated 10 members into the parliament of Alsace-Lorraine between 1874 and 1911, when its members were finally elected directly by the electorate. The city kept its strategic military role and became an important German garrison town and the Germans decided to build second and third fortifications of Metz, fortified lines around Metz. The dismantlement of parts of the medieval ramparts led to the extension of the city outside of its historical urban planning and the new Imperial Quarter of Metz, Imperial Quarter was created. The urban architects, under the direct guidance of Emperor Wilhelm II, German Emperor, Wilhelm II, had to respond to two major challenges in planning the new district: the requirement of the military strategies and the erection of a functional and artistic ensemble. Indeed, the army required a well-planned district built with the prospect of a war between Germany and France in mind and strategically integrated to the Schlieffen plan. So the Gare de Metz-Ville, Metz railway station was directly linked to Berlin via the Kanonenbahn Cannons Railway. In parallel, the district should be a symbol of dynamism of a new modern city accommodating the upper class. The district encompassed the residence of Emperor Wilhelm II, German Emperor, Wilhelm II in the former Kaiser Headquarters (present-day Northeast France defense headquarters) during his frequent visits to Metz.

Interwar period: Return to France

Following the armistice with Germany ending the First World War, the French army entered Metz in November 1918 and Philippe Pétain received his Marshal of France, marshal's Baton (symbol), baton from French President Raymond Poincaré and Prime Minister Georges Clémenceau on the Esplanade garden.Berrar J.C. (2009) Metz, retour à le France. Eds. Serpenoise. The city returned to France under the Treaty of Versailles in 1919.

Second German annexation: World War II

However, after the Battle of France in 1940 during the Second World War, the city was annexed once more by the German Third Reich into a Reichsgau named Westmark. As a symbol of the German annexation, Chancellor Adolf Hitler celebrated Christmas 1940 at the former Mining office, bergamt of the Imperial District of Metz, but local people largely rejected the German occupation. Multiple French Resistance cells were active during this period in the region of Metz, such as the Jean Burger, Mario and the Joseph Derhan, Derhan groups, whose activities included collecting arms for the Liberation of France, Liberation, distributing Flyer (pamphlet), flyers, helping prisoners and resisters, and sabotage. Several ''resistants'' were detained and tortured in the Fort de Queuleu, Fort of Queuleu in Metz and Jean Moulin died in Metz's railway station while on a train in transit to Germany. In 1944, the attack on the city by the United States Army Central, U.S. Third Army under the command of General George S. Patton faced heavy resistance from the defending German forces. The Battle of Metz lasted for several weeks and Metz was finally captured by the Americans in November 1944, and the city reverted to France after the war.Denis P. (2008) La Libération de la Lorraine, 1940–1945. Eds. Serpenoise.

Post-war period to the present day

During the 1950s, Metz was chosen to be the capital of the newly created Lorraine (region), Lorraine Regions of France, region.Roth F. (2012) Histoire politique de la Lorraine, de 1900 à nos jours. Eds. Serpenoise. With the creation of the European Communities and the latter European Union and under the leadership of Robert Schuman, Metz became a central place of the Greater Region and the SaarLorLux Euroregion. In 1979, the city was home to the Metz Congress, the seventh national congress of the French Socialist Party (France), Socialist Party, during which future French President François Mitterrand won the nominating process of the 1981 French presidential election, French presidential election of 1981 after defeating the internal opposition led by Michel Rocard. Later, Pope John Paul II delivered a Mass (Catholic Church), Mass in the Saint-Stephen Cathedral during his visit to Metz in 1988 and pleaded in his speech for the European unity in the context of the Cold War. In 2010, Metz opened a branch of the Musée National d'Art Moderne, French National Museum of Modern Art, the Centre Pompidou-Metz, designed by Japanese architect Shigeru Ban and inaugurated by French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

References

External links

* {{Authority control History of Metz, Histories of cities in France, Metz